May 14 2019
According to Chinese scientists, the activities of the oceans can significantly influence climate change in drylands, causing increasing drought and deterioration of ecosystem.
Scientists from Lanzhou University in northwestern Gansu Province investigated the influence of ocean activities on climate change and the ecological environment in drylands across the world over the past century.
Guan Xiaodan, the leading scientist, says that drylands form nearly 41% of the global total land area. Human activities and significant warming pose a major threat to land degradation and ecological deterioration, which makes drylands more susceptible to global climate change. As a key regulator of the climate system on Earth, the effect of ocean on climate change in drylands cannot be ignored.
The study described the impact of the mechanism of ocean activities including the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, El Nino, and La Nina on climate change in drylands.
According to Guan, the study leads to better insights into climate change in drylands and offers scientific reference for avoiding desertification and mitigation strategies for global climate change.
In the future, we will conduct more systematic studies on these mechanisms by combining various observational data and numerical simulations.
Guan Xiaodan, Study Lead Author, Lanzhou University
The study has been published in Science China Earth Sciences.
Source: http://english.cas.cn/